12 Hours
by Lola-2011
Summary: Ethan is hurt and his "parents" lies start to unravel.
1. Chapter 1

12 Hours

Hour: One

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

The snow from three weeks past was still piled up in the parking lot. Beautiful imperfect flakes that covered the city by a little more than a foot were now heaped together in a black mass that seemed like it would never melt. Nature had two sides, glory and doom. Two sides that were also true to human emotion. Right now Luke Spencer was feeling the latter.

The back and forth pacing in the stark white hospital corridor was unnerving everyone including him. He couldn't help it. If he didn't pace his head would explode. Everything would come crashing down on top of him and he was suffocate in the debris. Hell he was running out of oxygen as it was.

The hospital was quiet. It was normally quiet but on this particular day it was different. It was like a haunting, lingering, breathtaking silence that overcame him. Overcame all of them. Tracy, Lulu, Lucky, and Bobbie. Together they waited impatiently, on edge, and in absolute fear. They waited on news of Ethan and on the appearance of his mother, Holly Sutton.

Holly had absolutely no idea what she was about to walk into. Different thoughts had crossed her mind and none of them good. None of them appealing or hopeful. She was filled with an uneasiness. With a dreading sensation that nagged at the very depths of her soul. She just knew that she was going to walk into a nightmare and nothing was ever going to be the same again.

The elevator ride was the longest of her entire life. She never thought she would ever reach the fourth floor. The loud dinging of the doors opening and closing. People getting on and off and more buttons being pressed. The echoing pitch was driving her mad. A madness she knew she would only sink her further into.

And Luke had told her nothing in detail. Only that Ethan had been injured and that she needed to get to Port Charles as soon as possible. Luckily she was in Chicago on business and the trip wouldn't be so long. But that's where she was wrong. The journey to General Hospital lasted forever. It truly seemed as though she was coming from England.

Finally the elevator doors opened on the fourth floor. She took a staggering step forward and then another and another until the elevator doors closed behind her. All the strength she had was gone, it had withered away as she contemplated her son's future. Her future. She could barely put one foot in front of the other.

Luke stopped mid pace and looked up. There she was only a few feet away. Always beautiful but this time tragically so. Her features showing worry and doubt and grief. All for something she didn't have all the details on. But all for something she knew in her heart of hearts was right. It was a truth that didn't have to be spoken.

Luke stepped toward her extending his hand and she took it. Her hand closed tightly over his. Her anguished energy channeled through him with a single touch. What he had to tell her was going to be difficult. Perhaps one of the most difficult things he ever had to say in his life. The infamous Luke Spencer was inwardly trembling with fear. His thoughts were attacking him and his conscience was brutally beating him.

He opened his mouth to speak but there were no words. Nothing would come out. This only made Holly's condition deteriorated further. Dreading but not hearing the words was killing her. Something, anything, would be better than this unknowing silence.

"Luke." it was a plea, a breathless plea. The faces of everyone else faded away. Everything else faded away. It was just the two of them.

"Ethan was shot in the head" the words finally came out. "He's in surgery. It doesn't look good. The bullet is lodged..."

"Oh God." she rasped, collapsing into Luke. This was it. This was her worst nightmare come true. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't move. Everything crashed around her.

Luke slowly lowered them to the floor, Holly clinging desperately to him. She had bypassed shock and disbelief. She was in utter agony. After spending most of her life protecting her son, giving up the chance to know him and be a part of his life, this was how it ended. Everything that she had done was for him and still it wasn't enough.

She sobbed uncontrollably for what felt like centuries. Her tears soaked through the flannel of Luke's shirt. Her heart was quickly breaking, her entire world shattered. But then something changed. Heart wrenching cries suddenly became still. Holly raised her head up and looked at him. Mascara was streaked down the delicate features of her face.

"How?" her words were almost harsh. "How did this happen?"

Luke swallowed and felt was though it echoed tenfold. It was that nervous lump in his throat. It really did exist. "Ethan was at the wrong place at the wrong time." his words were rushed. "He was caught in mob crossfire."

Her expression changed slowly and she went from utter sorrow to confusion to processing to anger. Her illuminating brown eyes darkened with such intensity that Luke found himself moving back from her. A rage was building within her so dark and deep and he knew an explosion was on the horizon. There was no avoidance.

"Mob crossfire." she repeated, her voice low. "How could you let this happen, Luke? I trusted you. You promised me that you would take care of Ethan."

"I did." he replied, softly. "I did the very best that I could."

"It wasn't good enough." she snapped. "My son has a bullet in his head, in his brain. You were suppose to make sure that he was safe."

"I'm sorry." were his only words.

"You're sorry?" she asked, getting up on her knees. "You're sorry? Is that suppose to make it alright? Is that suppose to make everything better? My son..."

"He's my son, too." he interrupted.

"_Your_ son." she bit out. "_Yours?_ Tell me Luke, are you the one that got him caught up in the mob? Are you the one that introduced him to your favorite kind of trouble?"

Luke was silent. Completely silent.

"You son of a bitch." she exhaled, shoving him backwards onto the floor. "I should have never trusted you."

He laid back against the cool hospital tile. He deserved everything that she was throwing at him. Everything and then some. Holly had said everything that he was thinking. But somehow the words just hurt a lot worse enveloped by her lovely accent. He had failed her and he had known that before she stepped off the elevator.

Gut wrenching sorrow took over again. Tears flowed steadily and heavily as she faced what every parent feared, the loss of their child. She crawled over less than two feet to a burgundy chair and pushed herself up into a sitting position, resting her back on the side of the chair. Of all the ways that Ethan could have fallen into harms way this was something that she could have never imagined.

Holly pulled her legs up to her chest, hugging them as close to her as she possibly could. She lowered her head and concentrated on breathing in and out slowly, trying to calm herself down. Finally after several long moment of that eerie silence she raised her head and looked in Luke's direction. "I think it's time to find Robert, now." she wiped her hand across her nose. "You've played daddy long enough."

Luke pushed himself up on his elbow. "I thought that was suppose to be a secret?" he asked. "Something that we were suppose to take to our graves."

"Yeah, well." she sniffled. "That was before. Now I want Robert here. I need him now more than ever and I don't care what you have to do to find him just get him here. Dammit, Luke! He should already be here! You should have called him right after you called me. I want Robert!"

Robin who had been standing in the background at the nurses station had witnessed the entire meltdown. And now she felt was the time to make her presence known. She slowly walked closer to Luke and Holly who were both still sitting on the floor. "What does my father have to do with any of this?" she asked. "Why do you want him here?"

Holly looked up at Robin. She was completely defeated. "Robert is Ethan's father." lies were no longer necessary. The damage had already been done and it was irrefutable.

Robin kind of smirked like she was annoyed and shook her head. "You've tried that before Holly and it didn't work." she was so damn self righteous. "He's not going to come here to help you out now."

"You really shouldn't open your mouth about things you know nothing about." Luke warned her. "Now just turn around, Robin, and go the other way."

tbc..


	2. Chapter 2

12 Hours

Hour 2

Robert/Holly

PG

It was snowing. Little precious white flakes were falling from the heavens and beginning to accumulate on the ground below. It was Port Charles seventh snowfall of the season and it was only the beginning of January. Everything outside the hospital was calm and peaceful and everything inside was in complete turmoil.

Holly was still sitting on the floor, her back resting against the chair. Luke was trying to get in touch with Robert. Ethan was entering his second hour of surgery. And everyone else was still wallpaper. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else existed. How could it when everything she and Robert had strived and sacrificed for had just vanished into thin air.

"Drink up." Bobbie said, extending a covered coffee cup to Holly.. "I know you prefer tea but it's not that great here." she sat down on the floor next to her. "It's decaffeinated but I added some of whatever was in Luke's flask."

She looked over at her friend. "Thank you." she accepted the cup. "I feel like I've been here forever and I know it's only been about an hour."

"Waiting is the hardest part." she said. "It's just something about the unknown that scares us more than anything else."

"I've never been this terrified in my entire life." she took a sip of the coffee. "I didn't mean to make a big scene with Luke. My anger and my failures got the best of me and I needed someone to take them out on."

"It's okay." she wrapped her arm around Holly's shoulder. "It's better to let it out than to hold it all in. Even if it is directed at the wrong person sometimes."

She took another drink. "Ethan is a grown man." she said. "And I realize that I really do. I know that he makes his own choices and that he has to face the consequences. It's just really difficult for me to accept because Robert and I have done everything in our power to make sure that he was safe and cared for."

"We can only do so much." Bobbie told her. "Sometimes it's just not in our hands."

"You're right." she sighed. "I suppose it's not. It's just easier to blame yourself sometimes. Or someone else. There's all this...I have all this pent up anger and regret and sometimes I don't know how I'm making it through the day."

"Tell me what happened, Holly." she said. "Tell me about Ethan."

Holly took a sip of her coffee. Liquid courage they said. And courage was what she needed to get out the main details and gloss everything else over in gray. The rainbow of emotions didn't need to be told. No. It would be easier like that. At least she hoped. "When I left here in 93 and said I was going to travel for a while...I lied." she confessed. "Robert had called and wanted me to meet him in Spain. I couldn't get there fast enough. We spent the better part of the next year together. We were happy, Bobbie. We were _so_ happy. And then _it_ happened. We found out about Ethan from my cousin Barry and everything spiraled out of control."

"What do you mean it spiraled out of control?" she asked. "Something happened with your family?"

"No the Durban's were completely out of the picture." she told her. "We found out that Ethan was with adoptive parents. He was six years old and as much as we wanted him with us we knew that we couldn't take him away from the only parents he had ever known. We struggled so much. We wanted to at least be a part of his life even if it was in a small way, but it didn't work out."

"Why not?" Bobbie reached for Holly's hand, giving her strength to continue her story. "What happened to keep you all away from Ethan?"

"The WSB." she was breaking down. There was no way to stop it. "They decided that they wanted Robert back with them. They decided that the sixteen months that they had him prior wasn't enough. And to convince him to come back they threatened Ethan and Robin. Robert didn't have any other choice. He would do absolutely anything to protect his children."

"As any parent would." she agreed. "So this whole thing with Luke it was just to keep Ethan safe?"

"Yes." she answered. "I'm sorry Luke couldn't tell you the truth there was just so much going on and so much that we were trying to keep secret. Our main goal was keeping Ethan safe and now..." she held her breath for a few seconds and then slowly exhaled. "And now here we are."

"I don't know if this will be of any comfort but Ethan has the best team of doctor's and nurse's in there." Bobbie told her. "Patrick is leading the team."

Holly nodded. "Patrick's a talented doctor." she agreed. "Butt no it doesn't magically make me feel any better."

Luke approached, carefully. "I just spoke with Robert." he said. "He's actually just a few towns over at some sort of government convention hoopla. He's taking a jet and will be here within the hour."

"Thank you." Holly said. "I need to make a phone call." she got up off the floor, her half empty cup of coffee still in her hand. She was trying to pull herself together. She took another drink. "I need to get it together for just a few minutes. I don't want my son to know what's going on here. I don't want to have to explain all of this to a fourteen year old right now."

"You have another son?" Bobbie asked, standing up.

"Yes, Reese." she replied. "He's my son with my ex-husband."

"I didn't know you remarried." she said. "Luke never mentioned it."

"I hope this isn't too awkward." But it was. There was no way around it. "Jake is my ex-husband. Jake Meyer."

"Oh." she breathed out. Surprised was a good word. "Small world."

"Yeah." she agreed. "Sometimes not small enough." she reached into her pocket and pulled out her mobile phone. "Excuse me."

Luke watched as Holly walked away. "Man have I messed up this time." he breathed out. "I was suppose to be watching out for the kid and looked what happened."

"You didn't get him involved in this did you, Luke?"

"No." he replied. "I know nothing about Ethan being involved in anything that has to do with the mob. I know that he interacts with local thugs at the Casino but other than that I had no idea. I can't believe I've let Robert and Holly down like this."

The air was cold and damp. The kind of cold that you could feel right down to the bone. Snow flakes were blowing inward under the covered waiting area. Side walks and the parking lot was turning white. Holly suddenly became worried about Robert and his safety flying in.

Holly's fingers struggled to push the right keys on her mobile phone. Her heart seemed to be sinking further into her chest and she didn't know how she was suppose to have a conversation with her son. Or with her ex-husband. What she needed right now was Robert. She needed his guidance and his support and his steady, comforting hand.

Somehow she found the courage. Somehow she found the strength. It would be late in California, but not late enough that Reese wouldn't be the one picking up the phone. This was actually a time that she longed to hear the voice of her ex-husband.

"Hello." Jake answered. "How's Chicago?"

"I'm in Port Charles." she told him. "There's been an accident."

"Ethan." he knew it. It was only a matter of time. "What happened?"

"He was shot." she paused and held her breath, counting to ten before exhaling. "It doesn't look very good, Jake."

"What did the doctors say?"

"I haven't had a chance to speak to them yet." she replied. Her tears flowed freely. "He's still in surgery and he's going to be in there for a while."

"Do you want me to come out there?" he asked. "I'll book a flight right now."

"No." she objected. "You should stay there with Reese."

"Is Robert there?"

Silence lingered for a few moments. "Luke called him." she wiped at her tears. "He's on his way here."

"Okay." he sighed. "You know I'll fly out there." he told her. "I'll take Reese over to Celia's and I'll be there as quickly as I can."

"I don't want you to rearrange your schedule for me."

"Holly, I'm your friend." he told her. "I want to be there with you. That's what friends are for. Reese will be fine with Celia and Jimmy Lee."

"Okay." she agreed. "We're on the fourth floor, the neurological wing."

"I'm going to book a flight right now." he said. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Jake?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." he replied. "I'll see you in a bit."

Holly closed her mobile phone and slipped it back into her pocket. She was falling apart at the seams. She needed something to keep her going. She needed something to give her hope. Convincing herself to hold it together she sat down on the ice cold bench and took a few deep, cleansing breaths.

And all of the sudden there he was. Her knight in semi-tarnished armor. The only man she had truly ever been in love with. It had been a little over a year since she had last seen him. Within seconds she was in his arms. Robert wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her tight. Or the longest time neither one of them said anything at all. They just relished the moment and the comfort and the love between them.

"It's going to be okay, luv." he tried to assure them both. "We're going to get through this."

"How?"

"I don't know." he was honest. "But somehow we will." he placed a kiss into her long, flowing hair. "I'm here now, just let it all out, luv."

"I took most of my anger out on Luke." she pulled back to look at him. "I'm so glad that you were so close to Port Charles."

"Me too." he replied. "How's Reese?"

"He's well." she was trying to focus on something positive."Looks more and more like his father everyday."

"Well his father is a handsome bloke."

"He has your eyes." she smiled albeit fleetingly. "He reminds me so much of you."

tbc...


	3. Chapter 3

12 Hours

Hour 3

Robert/Holly

PG

The only thing Robert could think about was the fact that he had three children and had missed out on all of them growing up. He had spent around six years with Robin, none with Ethan, and sporadic moments here and there with Reese. He loved his children, he loved them all, he loved them enough to keep his distance and keep them safe.

He always thought that he could finish up work for the WSB and return to his family. He thought that he and Holly could work something out with Ethan's adoptive parents and that they could at least build some sort of relationship with their son. He didn't think that the WSB would hold him under contract for so long. He was suppose to be released, he was suppose to be there when Reese grew up. He and Holly were suppose to be together.

"We've lost so much time." he told her. "I thought that we would have more children, buy a house in the English countryside and live happily ever after."

"Fairytales." she said. "Life never does work out the way that you plan it. Nothing goes according to scheme but I would like to think there's more joy than heartache. That's why we can't lose Ethan, Robert, we can't."

"We won't." his voice was firm. "We're going to do everything in our power to make sure that anything that can be done will be done." his eyes were kind. "Let's go inside before we both freeze out in this snow."

Robert and Holly exited the elevator on the fourth floor. The Spencer's filled up the waiting room not knowing that Ethan really wasn't their brother, their nephew, their stepson. They were all there in support of Ethan and Robert and Holly both knew that when the truth did come out all those people would still be sitting there. How fortunate they were to have so many people looking out for their son.

Tracy leaned over toward Luke. "What's Robert Scorpio doing here?"

"Robert is Ethan's father." he let out a sigh. "That's why he's here."

"That's what Holly was talking about?" she asked. "I thought that she was just mad at you."

"No." he replied. "The whole thing was an elaborate scheme that Holly and I cooked up to keep Ethan safe."

"So you lied?" she asked. "You let everyone believe that you were unfaithful to Laura and you let your own son hate you to help out Holly and Robert?"

"Yes." he answered. "I would do it all again if I had to. I know that I would have watched him more closely and made sure that this would have never happened."

"It's not your fault." Tracy soothed him. "Ethan's a grown man and he made his own choice's."

"It is my fault." he was being rational. "Holly's just the only one around here that has the guts to point out the truth."

Robert took Holly's hand and walked them toward the nurses station. "Hi, my name is agent Robert Scorpio." he showed her his badge. "Ethan Lovett is my son and I would like to speak to anyone who was attending when he arrived."

"Most of them are in surgery with him now." the young nurse replied. "I'll call downstairs and ask around but it might take a few moments."

"That's fine." he said, squeezing Holly's hand. "My wife and I are going to have a seat over there."

"Would you be more comfortable in a private waiting room?" she asked. "I can take the two of you to one if you'd like."

"That would be great." he replied. "Thank you."

The nurse escorted them to the cozy, private waiting room promising to return with any staff that she could find who attended to Ethan. She softly closed the door behind her leaving Robert and Holly completely alone.

Holly took her coat off and laid it over the back of one of the chairs. "This has to be the worst day of my entire life." she said, sitting down on the sofa. "I've had a few bad days but this tops all of them combined."

"I'm inclined to agree." he said, slipping off his coat and joining her on the sofa. "Hopefully we'll be able to talk to a doctor or nurse or someone."

"All of this is so unfair." she reached for his hand. "And all my fault."

Robert gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "Why do you think this is your fault?" he asked. "Luke said he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"The moment I laid eyes on Ethan in Australia I should have turned around and went the other way." she confessed. "Instead I was selfish and got involved. I created this whole mess. I'm the reason that Ethan came to Port Charles. Luke and I cooked up the scheme about his paternity and we thought that everything would be okay."

"This isn't your fault, Holly." he tried to convince her. "When you saw Ethan your maternal instincts took over, you were drawn to him. And when you called me and ran your story by me I thought everything seemed air tight. You were doing everything in your power to protect him and that's what any good mother would do."

"I should have left him alone." she was painfully regretful. "I _wish_ I would have left him alone."

"We can't change the past, Holly."

"But wouldn't it be wonderful if we could?"

"Yes." he agreed. "It would."

"I don't know what I'm going to do if he doesn't make it." her resolve was cracking and she was in full fledged tears within mere seconds. "If he can pull through this then we can have a chance to know our son."

"Then you and I have to hope and pray for the very best."

"I know it's just..." she trailed off. "Let's talk about something else. Try to take our minds off of Ethan for a bit."

"I think that's a good idea." he said. "Is Reese still playing basketball?"

"Yes." she smiled through her tears. "He's the star of his team."

"He's not cocky about it, is he?"

"No." she replied. "He's very gracious."

"Good." he shifted a bit in his seat, trying to get more comfortable. "I was able to catch two of his baseball games last spring." he told her. "They were playing a doubleheader against the Chargers. In the second game he scored a home run with bases loaded."

"I didn't know you were there." she said. "Why didn't tell me?"

"You were sitting with Celia and some other moms." he smiled. "I didn't want to mess up your PTA standing but swooping in and sweeping you off your feet."

Holly laughed through her tears. "I actually would have liked that."

"I would have too." he had to change the subject. He was giving her hope. He was giving himself hope. "Is Jake heading out?"

"Yeah." she breathed out. "He's on his way. I was talking to him before you got here."

"And Reese?"

"He's staying with Celia." she told him. "As much as I want him here I...Reese doesn't exactly know about Ethan. Or Robin for that matter."

"He's still a little young." Robert agreed.

"He's fourteen." she reminded him. "I don't know where the time has gone."

"It evaporates." he was anguished. He was thinking about all the time he had missed with not only Reese but all of his children. "You have been happy, haven't you, Holly?" he asked. "Raising Reese has made you happy hasn't it?"

"Extremely." she smiled. "I know what I was asking you to give up, to miss out on, when I told you that I wanted a baby. I knew that you wouldn't deny my request. And it wasn't about replacing Ethan. I wanted Reese because I wanted to be a mother. I wanted tangible proof of our love and everything that we shared."

"I was just happy that I could give you something that you wanted." he told her. "It was difficult for me to not be there. I always thought that I would finish up for the WSB and I would be free. It just didn't work out that way. I guess deep down I always knew that and that's why I didn't hesitate the day you told me that you wanted a baby. I just hated leaving you alone and pregnant. Thank God for Jake. He really stepped up to the plate."

"Yeah, he did." she agreed. "It also helped out that I was seen out and about with Jake for a few months before I got pregnant. No one ever suspected anything. Reese has been safe all these years."

Robert smiled thinking back. "Hell of a Valentine's day, wasn't it luv?" he said. "I had been back working for the WSB for three months and it was the first chance I had gotten to slip away. The timing was perfect."

"That's the only time." she said, sadly. "Our timing otherwise has always been off thanks to the WSB. I guess we should be grateful for the time we did have together however sporadic it was."

"Maybe now we'll have the chance to get it right." he hoped. "At least for Ethan's sake."

"I'm so afraid he's not gong to make it.' she told him. "He hates me, he thinks the absolute worst of me."

"No." he disagreed. "Ethan doesn't like the woman you allowed yourself to be in order to protect him. When he pulls out of this he's going to know the entire story from start to finish."

"I lost my temper with Luke." she told him. "I really lost my temper with him. I blamed him for Ethan getting involved with the mob."

"The mob?"

"Yes." she said, slowly. "Luke didn't tell you? Ethan got caught in mob crossfire down on the docks. He was shot by the mob boss's hitman, Jason Quartermaine, well, Jason Morgan as he's now called."

The door to the private room had opened. "If Ethan was shot by Jason then he had really good reason." Robin told them, closing the door behind her. "Jason was only protecting Sonny and his family. He's not the bad guy here."

Holly's temper rose back to the surface. "Excuse me?" she snapped. "He's a mob hitman. He's not the _good_ guy."

Robin crossed her arms. "You don't know Jason." she told them. "He's not some cold-hearted killer."

"That's exactly what he is." Robert replied, his voice firm. "He kills people and gets paid for it. It's a business transaction for him. If that's not cold I don't know what is."

"Jason and Sonny are good people." she told them again. "You of all people have no right to judge them."

Robert looked at Holly and then back at his daughter. "Have you been brainwashed?" he asked. "This is not the way that we raised you, any of us, me, your mom, Holly, Mac. Mobsters are not good people, Robin."

tbc...


	4. Chapter 4

12 Hours

Hour: 3

Pairing: Robert & Holly

Rating: PG

Robin looked at her father and then over at Holly. "Why are you even here, Dad?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be off saving the world?"

"I'm here because my son was shot by one of your thug friends." he told her. "Ethan is fighting for his life because a misunderstood mob hitman was just doing his job."

"Ethan is Luke's son." she argued. "Or maybe he's someone else's, but it's not possible for him to be your son."

"Not possible?" Holly questioned. "How exactly is it not possible? Ethan was conceived in 1987. That alone should tell you that it's possible."

"Dad was here working on the Mr. Big case with mom." Robin snapped. "He wasn't anywhere near you at the time, Holly."

Holly shook her head. "Robin you were about nine at the time." she pointed out as she stood up. "There's no way you can remember all the details. After your father wrapped up the case with your mom he came home to Australia."

Robin was silent for several minutes. "You don't have to cover for her, dad."

"Ethan is _our_ son, Robin." he said, firmly. "You don't have to accept it, you don't even have to like it but your so called friends will pay for this. That much I promise you."

"You'll never get to Sonny or Jason." she was confident. "They've been in their business for almost two decades and noone as even come close to taking them down. Once people get to know them they find out what loving, caring people they are."

"That's the biggest bunch of crap I've ever heard in my entire life." he was furious. "I can't believe you would defend these people when they put a bullet into your brothers back."

Robin started to soften a bit. She mulled things over in her head. "You don't know that it was Jason that shot Ethan."

Robert looked at Holly and then back at Robin. "You know what, you're stepmother doesn't need this right now." he reached around Robin and opened the door. "I don't need this right now. You should come back later."

Robin backed out of the room and he softly closed the door behind her. Holly knew that he was hurting. The kind of hurt that no parent should ever feel. It was worse than when Ethan rejected her because Robin knew of all the sacrifices that Robert had made for her and for her mother. Robert had given up his entire life, his happiness, so that he could protect the people that he loved. And if that wasn't a caring father she didn't know what was.

She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder blade. She could feel the beating of his heart under her hand. "I'm sorry, darling." she whispered to him. "I'm so glad that you're here with me tonight. I don't think I could go through this without you, I know I couldn't."

His hand slid overtop of hers. "It's wonderful to be appreciated." he said. "It makes me feel as though everything I've done has been worth it."

Holly took a step back allowing him to turn around and face her. "Of course it's been worth it." her eyes searched his. "Just because Robin is ungrateful at the moment doesn't mean that the past eighteen years have been for nothing. You've protected us in a way that not many men would. You gave up everything, Robert. Don't let Robin make you feel guilty because she's upset."

"When I showed up here a few years ago my daughter told me that a mobster had been a better father to her than I ever had." he told her. "The same man who ordered a bullet to be put in her brother's back. I love Robin but don't support her choices. Not when everything I've worked for my entire adult life revolved around putting away the bad guys."

"I think Robin is just in shock." she suggested. "She just found out that Ethan is her brother when I so blatantly lied to her and to everyone else before. When she got those dates wrong all on her own and told Ethan he couldn't be her brother I thought that she actually knew. I thought that she was actually protecting him, but she just got it wrong. I was still grateful. My lies still worked...up until now."

"Well." he breathed out. "Robin isn't the issue right now, Ethan is. And I promise you, Holly, Corinthos and Morgan will pay for this. It's time someone cleaned up the trash in Port Charles and I think I'm just the man for the job."

"Does that mean..." she trailed off. "You're sticking around?"

"The past few months I've been training other agents." he told her. "I'm going to be completely free in two weeks."

Her eyes sparkled. "Free?"

"Yes." he smiled. "I've been thinking seriously about moving out to California to be closer to you, but I think that Port Charles would be a better option. What do you think?"

"Is that an invitation?"

"No." he replied. "You don't need an invitation. You know that where ever I am I want you with me. I know that we've talked about this a lot but this time it's really happening."

"I think that Reese would love it here." she smiled. "I've always wanted to bring him here and introduce him to all our friends. He knows you're his father, Robert. I told him last year around his birthday."

"He knows?"

"Yes." she replied. "Jake and I thought that he was ready to know the truth."

"How did he take it?" Robert asked. "He understands that I would never try to take Jake's place in his life, right? I have no intentions of coming between their father and son bond."

"He knows." she replied. "He also knows that you're one of the good guys and that everything that you did was to keep the ones that you love safe. I think he likes the idea of having a super spy for a dad."

"I just hope I can live up to his expectations." his voice was unsure. "I don't want to disappoint anymore of my children."

Holly's reached up and gently touched his face. "You haven't disappointed Reese." her words were soft and kind. "When Ethan finds out the truth he'll understand as well."

"I just feel as though I've failed everyone."

"No, Robert." she argued. "You've succeeded. We're all safe because of you. That's something to be proud of. Not everyone has a knight in shining armor."

"I'm not so sure that's an accurate description." he kind of smiled. "It is good to know that after all these years that you still think of me that way."

"Of course I do." she smiled, leaning in closer to him. "I love you." she whispered. "Even when I've been furious with you I've always loved you more than anything else in the entire world." her lips were hairbreadth away from his. She was waiting for him to make a move, she wanted to give him the control that he was so desperately lacking.

Robert slowly pulled away from her. "I'm sorry, Holly." he apologized. "I can't."

Her eyes searched his for an answer but he turned away from her. "You can't." she repeated the words more to him than herself. "What does that mean?"

"I don't want to hurt you."

Holly stepped closer to him. "Then don't." it was that simple.

He took another step back from her. "I already have." his words were barely audible. "You could have been happy with Jake. The three of you could have been a real family. I'm the one that let you hold out hope and kept you waiting. It was a very selfish thing for me to do, but I wanted you in whatever capacity I could have you."

"You're wrong, Robert." she replied. "Jake and Reese and I are a real family. We care about each other and support each other and listen to each other. We may not be the traditional family but we _are_ a family." she spoke nothing but the truth. "I've been in a few other relationships, some of them that were fulfilling. And if I've waited for you it's because I've wanted to. It's because I've loved you in a way that I could never love any other man."

"What about Jake?" he asked. "Why didn't your marriage work out? You never really told me why it didn't work."

"What Jake and I had was good, Robert." she told him. "We started off as friends wanting to protect Reese and our relationship did evolve into something more, but we realized that friendship was our strongest ground. Jake has moved on."

"But you never have."

"Jake and I were married for five years." she told him. "I dated a few men after that, one that I almost married."

"Married?"

"You had been gone for three years and I didn't know...I didn't know what had happened or if I would ever see you again." she confessed. "You had encouraged me to move on and to be happy. And I was. I was happy with Zach, everything was falling into place."

"What happened?"

"You happened." she told him. "You climbed through my bedroom window that night in August and once I knew that you were alive and safe I knew that we still had a chance."

Robert was silent for several long moments before he spoke again. "All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy."

"I know that, darling." she stepped closer to him. "I love you, Robert." her words were heavy with emotion. "I need you right now more than I've ever needed you before. Our son might not make it through this operation and if he doesn't I don't know what I'm going to do."

Robert reached out for her, drawing her into his arms. "I'm right here." he whispered into her hair. "I'm going to be here with you every step of the way."

tbc...


	5. Chapter 5

12 Hours

Hour: 5

Pairing: Robert & Holly

Rating: PG

Flickering candlelight was usually a warm, romantic ambiance but in this instance it wasn't the case. The hospital chapel was radiating with the glow of hopeful flames. Each small candle coming together to give off a bright, strong glow. Luke Spencer was sitting on the very back pew, the light illuminating his wild silver hair. And for a moment in time Holly remembered being on the mountain with him. She saw the image of the man that she trusted with her son's life.

Holly let go of the chapel door that she had been holding and made her way over to him. He was hunched over, his face in his hands. Deep in thought or perhaps prayer. She would never know. She quietly sat down beside him and placed her left hand on his back. "This is the last place I expected to find you." she said, softly. "I mean the great Luke Spencer sitting in a chapel. The thought boggles the mind."

Luke looked up at her, his elbows still resting on his knees. "Desperate times, English."

Her hand lazily moved up and down his back. "I'm really sorry about what happened earlier, Luke." she told him. "I lost my temper."

"You don't need to apologize to me." he exhaled. "I did let you down. I was suppose to be watching over Ethan and keeping him inline."

"He's a grown man." she said, almost not believing it. "Ultimately Ethan is responsible for his own decisions and he has to suffer the consequences. My anger was misplaced. I was mad at myself and at Robert and in a way at Ethan."

Luke sat up straight. "I'm going to take care of this." he promised her. "I know who's responsible and they will pay for what they've done."

"Is another bullet really the answer?" she asked. "Two wrongs don't make a right."

"In this case they do." he told her. "In this kind of lifestyle it's what has to be done."

"Robert said that he would take care of everything." her words were soft. "He's going to do it on the up and up. By the books."

"Mobsters don't deserve by the books." his voice was full of suppressed anger. "They know the rules of the game."

Holly wanted to ignore everything he was saying. "Thank you for calling Robert." and she was grateful. Eternally so. "I don't think I could have made it through the past few hours without him."

"It was the least I could do." he said simply. "In times of crisis the only thing you can do is surround yourself with the people you love and care about and hope to make through to the next hour and then the next."

"This night has been pure hell." she told him. "The hours are creeping by."

"Any word on Ethan?"

"No." she exhaled. "Robin came in and well...she doesn't understand the entire situation."

"Don't make excuses for her." Luke said. "She's a grown woman and she's acting like a spoiled brat. She'll defend Sonny and Jason to the grave."

"Yes, I know." she replied. "Robert asked her to leave and come back later."

"Maybe she just needs time to think things over." he suggested. "Hopefully she'll realize that blood is thicker than water."

"Hopefully."

Luke wrapped his arm around Holly and pulled her closer to him. She relaxed against him. "Where's Robert?"

"Giving blood." she answered. "He has the same blood type as Ethan and he wanted to feel as though he was helping in some way."

"What about your ex?" he asked. "Is Jake coming back to Port Charles?"

"He should be here soon." the only thing she could think of was Ethan and Reese and how screwed up everything was.. "He took Reese over to Celia's to stay. I didn't think that him being here is a very good idea right now."

"I think that when Ethan wakes up after surgery he's going to want to meet his siblings." Luke said. "I mean he already knows Robin and I think he'll like being a big brother to Reese. He certainly liked looking out after Lulu."

"Just because Ethan and Lulu are no longer going to be brother and sister doesn't mean that everything has to change." Holly smiled slightly. "I'm sure he'll still treat her exactly the same."

"Is that hope I detect in your voice?" he asked. "A glimmer of positivity?"

"Robert and I have done so much to protect Ethan." she told him. "I can't give up on him now, not even when all the odds are against him. This is my chance to finally get to know my son."

"Now that's the Holly I know." he smiled. "The one who would fight with everything she had. I think that if we put our faith in Ethan then he'll pull through."

"Well blaming myself and others didn't really get me anywhere." she smiled slightly. "Ethan is young and strong and healthy...he's going to make because...well he has to."

"Ethan is so much like you that it's uncanny." he told her. "He's stubborn and when he's passionate about something he won't budge an inch on the issue. He is a better con artist though."

"Mmm." she sighed. "That never really was my cup of tea."

"But adventure is." he said. "And Ethan is adventurous."

"So is Robert." Holly pointed out. "Seems as though they has a knack for danger."

"Well this mob things is...over."

"What do you mean?"

"I had issued a warning before that Ethan was off limits." he told her. "And I always make good on my threats."

The doors to the chapel opened and Jake slipped inside. His hair was gray but he was still as handsome as he had ever been. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No." Luke replied. "We were just catching up. Something we can do later."

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Jake asked.

"No. I'll leave the two of you to it then." he said, standing up. "I think I'm going to go check on my old buddy Robert."

Jake sat down next to his ex-wife. "How's Ethan?"

"We haven't heard anything yet." she told him. "It's just a waiting game at this point."

He reached for Holly's hand. "It's going to be okay." he tried to assure her. "Is there anything I can get you? Is there anyone I can get you?"

"No." she replied. "I might take you up on that later though."

"Where's Robert?"

"He's giving blood." she answered. "He should be done by now."

Jake nodded. "Why don't you go check on him?" he said. "I passed a few people that I would like to catch up with why we wait."

"Bobbie and Tracy Quartermaine are in the waiting area." she offered. "I think I need to be alone for a little while."

"Okay." he said, squeezing her hand. "If you need me you know where to find me."

"You really didn't have to come all this way, Jake." she told him. "But I appreciate that you're here."

"Where else would I be?" he shrugged. "You and Robert are two of my best friends and I want to help out in any way that I can."

"I know." she breathed out. "What did you tell Reese?"

"Just that some unexpected business came up in New York and that I had to tend to it right away." he told her. "I think he was suspicious but he's content for now."

"He's a smart young man." Holly said. "When everything is said and done Robert and I are going to have to sit down and explain everything to him."

"Don't think about that right now." his words were soft and kind. "Focus on Ethan."

Luke turned the corner and found Robert walking toward him, rolling down the sleeve of his shirt. "You look a little pale."

"Well the orange juice and the donut really didn't do much for me." he said. "I was thinking about heading down to the cafeteria and getting something more substantial." he stopped at where Luke was standing. "Where's Holly?"

"I left her in the chapel."

"Is she praying?"

"Jake came in." he told him. "And I thought it would be best if someone came and checked on you."

"I'm fine." he assured him. "One of the doctors are suppose to come and give us an update soon."

"I'll walk with you to the cafeteria." Luke said, picking up his feet. "Ethan is an amazing young man. He's smart and he's charming, he's a good kid. I would never let him get involved in mob violence."

Robert walked beside his friend. "Ethan is his own man." he said. "I just hope if he pulls through this that he's willing to give his mother another chance. A chance to know the real Holly and not the scam artist she came up with."

"Holly was willing to do whatever it took to protect Ethan." he told him. "Even if that meant diminishing herself in his eyes. Once Ethan finds out the truth everything is going to change."

"I just hope for the better." he said. "I love Holly and I want to give her and our children the lives they deserve from now on."

tbc....


	6. Chapter 6

12 Hours

Hour: 6

Robert/Holly

PG

Ethan had made it through surgery. A really good sign the doctors told them. The next few hours were going to be critical but the more stable he became the better chance he was going to have. And so the waiting game would continue. Together Robert and Holly watched their first born son through the hospital window. Silent and terrified but hopeful.

Robert gently ran his hand up and down Holly's arm. "He certainly is a fighter." he said, softly. "I think he's going to be okay, luv."

"Oh, I hope so." she exhaled. "Because this is the first time in the past sixteen years where I feel like everything is really going to be okay."

"And it is." he assured her. "From now on we're going to try our hardest and do what's right no matter how much it might hurt. Because in the end it hurts a lot worse to let things build and build until they're out of control."

"Does this mean that we're going to sit down and calmly talk things over with our children?" she asked, turning around to face him. "All three of them?"

"I think we should start with Robin and go from there." he suggested. "She's had some time to think now and I think she'll be ready to talk to us."

"Maybe you should try it alone first."

"No." he disagreed. "I want you right by my side the entire time."

"I don't want to make things worse."

"You won't." Robert assured her. "Dr. Webber said that Ethan needs to rest after such a major surgery. We won't be able to sit with him for a few more hours. I think we should go and talk to Robin and then maybe we can have Celia fly Reese out here."

"You don't think that we're moving a little too fast?"

"No." he replied. "I always knew that life was short and after tonight I've been reminded just how short it can be. I want us to be a family, all of us."

"I want that too." she replied. "More than anything in the world."

"Then no, it's not too fast."

"Okay." she breathed out. "I'll go with you to talk to Robin. I just hope that she can recall the time that we spent together in Australia and after the tanker explosion. There was a time when we were so close, I just hope that we can work something out."

Robin handed her father a cup of coffee before sitting down in the adjacent chair. "Are you sure I can't get you anything, Holly?"

"No, thank you." she was starting to see some light coming through. She hoped that she could find the teenager that she intrusted in Mac's care all those years ago.

"I've had some time to think." Robin started. "Everything makes sense. I guess I just didn't want to see it. I was just a little hurt that the two of you didn't trust me enough to tell me."

"You were young Robin." Robert told her. "Too young to know such delicate information. You had already been through so much and I didn't think it was fair for you to carry all of this."

Robin nodded. "As a mother I understand that." her voice was soft. "I appreciate that."

"Holly and I never knew about Ethan until after the boating accident." he explained. "By that time Ethan was six years old and had been with his adoptive parents since birth. As much as it hurt your mother and I we left him where he was. We were trying to do what was best for Ethan. It wasn't long after that I called back to the WSB."

She looked at her stepmother. "So when you left in 93?"

"Yes." Holly confirmed. "And you can hate me for that for the rest of my life if you would like."

"Reese doesn't belong to Jake, does he?"

A silence filled the room. Holly looked at Robert and then back at her stepdaughter. "No." she finally answered. "I couldn't tell you before, Robin. I couldn't risk everyone's safety."

"Aren't you risking it now?"

"The WSB has granted your father retirement."

Robin nodded. "So everything is just magically okay?"

"I didn't say that." Holly replied. "Things are going to get easier though."

"I see." she exhaled. "This is certainly a lot to process and I'm going to need some time."

"We understand that, Robin." Robert said, gently. "We just ask that you don't take too much time. I would like to rebuild my family so that I can enjoy my golden years."

She was still processing everything. "I have rounds to finish." she stood up. "We'll talk more later."

Robert watched as Robin left the room. "That went rather smooth." he said. "She was a bit distant though."

"She handled it very well." Holly agreed. "Like an adult."

"I think she's going to be fine."

"In time." she nodded. "Right now we have another problem."

"Luke?"

"Yes." she answered. "He wants revenge very badly, Robert."

"As do I." Robert pointed out. "I want who did this to pay. I want justice for our son. The mobsters in this town need to learn that actions have consequences."

"I want justice too." she told him. "But not Luke's way."

"I can't stop Luke, Holly." he said. "He's already made up his mind about what he feels he needs to do. There's an unspoken code between men like Luke."

"I know." she replied. "That's why I was so sure that Luke could protect Ethan."

"He is protecting Ethan." he assured her. "Maybe not the way you or I would protect him but he is protecting him."

"I just want to see Ethan."Holly said, softly. "Even if I have to stand outside of his room and watch him through the window."

Robert took her hand in his. "I'll lead the way."

tbc...


	7. Chapter 7

12 Hours

Hour: 7

Pairing: Robert & Holly

Rating: PG

Holly stood outside Ethan's hospital room, her forehead resting on the glass of the window. Seeing him was comforting even though he was hooked up to machines. She couldn't sit with him yet and hold his hand but at least she look over him. That was better than nothing at all.

The doctors had explained that it would take a while for the anesthetics to wear off and for them to be patient. They assured Robert and Holly that their son was getting the best possible care and encouraged them to get some rest because the next few days were going to be physically and emotionally demanding.

Robert wrapped his arm around Holly's waist. "I got us a hotel room next door at the Metro Court." he told her. "Patrick said that he would notify us if anything changed."

"I don't want to leave him."

"I know you don't." he replied. "We both need a decent meal and a good night's rest."

"What if something happens?' she asked, not taking her eyes off of Ethan."And what if I'm not here?"

"Ethan is in very capable hands." he tried to assure her. "The people in this hospital saved his life and they're going to make sure he continues to recover."

"I know all that." she replied. "But the mother in me is telling me to stay with my son."

"Is it also telling you that Ethan's going to pull through and be okay in time?"

Holly turned to face him. "Yes."

"Then we should go and take a breather." Robert told her. "Because when Ethan wakes up he's going to need us more than ever and we have to be ready to take on anything for him."

"My head knows that you're right." she said. "It's my heart that doesn't want to walk away."

Robert took her hand in his. "And my heart is telling me that you need a reprieve."

Holly slowly nodded. "I am hungry."

"We'll get some room service." he told her. "I made sure Patrick had all the phone numbers so that he can reach us."

"These past seven hours have been a nightmare." she said. "I think I just need an escape or else I'm going to go crazy."

"I know the perfect diversion."

~Metro Court Hotel~

Robert's fork slid through the strawberry cheesecake with ease. "You're being very quiet."

"Sorry." Holly apologized as she reached for her glass of champagne. "I'm just trying to wrap my mind around everything."

"My head is still spinning." he confessed. "The circumstances are...awful but I'm glad that we're here together, Holly. I can't stand the thought of you going through this alone."

"I couldn't have." she told him. "Without you I would have gone crazy within the first few hours."

"We were always pretty good at team work."

Holly smiled, warmly. "I guess some things never change."

"Not with us." he agreed, placing his fork down on his empty plate. "I'm not saying that everything is going to fall right back into place, but I think a lot of things could if we just let them."

"Our dynamic will be a little different now." she told him. "Especially with children in the mix."

"I think I'm up for the challenge."

"Robert..." she trailed off. "I would rather not live in Port Charles."

He was a little surprised by her. "No?" he asked. "Why not?"

"The mob is running everything and it's not a safe place." she told him. "I would really like to be surrounded by our friends but I think the risk is too great."

"I understand." he said. "Is there anywhere in particular you would like to live? Do you like it in California?"

"It's alright." she replied. "I really like it in Australia though."

Robert smiled. "Yeah me too." he said. "Do you think that Reese would like it?"

"Yes." she answered. "He's always wanted to go but I couldn't ever bring myself to take him."

"I see." he breathed out. "Well now we can all go together. As a family."

"I'd like that very much."

Robert reached across the table for her hand. "You've made me the happiest man on the face of the earth." he told her. "Well almost."

Holly arched an eyebrow. "Almost?"

"Yes." he replied. "There's this one little piece missing from my puzzle."

"Just one?"

"Yes." he replied. "And I'm afraid that you're the only one that's going to be able to help me complete it."

"I'll do my best."

His thumb gently stroked the back of her hand. "Will you marry me?" he asked. "Will you be Mrs. Scorpio again?"

Holly's eyes flooded with tears. "Oh, Robert..." she trailed off, the ringing of a cell phone filling the room.

tbc...


End file.
